An Unexpected Guest
by Meeoh-My
Summary: A cloud of doom hangs over the Company of Thorin Oakenshield. His quest will end in tragedy. The Valar have forseen it. They wonder, however, if they have a chance to save it. In a last ditch effort to gain the slightest edge against the Shadows the Valar add an unexpected element to the quest; one not of their creation who cannot be tracked by their enemies. She is that chance.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I have two other _super_ unfinished stories but I am here with a third because I actually have an ending planned out for this one. I've had ideas for stories like this before because they're super fun but I've been too much of a chicken shit to make it. But I'm 23 and I have to stop being so worried about dumb stuff like that! So here it is, another story about an OC being dumped into Middle Earth to interact with the main cast. It's fun!

She woke slowly, peeling her eyes open and feeling like she had come out of a deep, cloudy sleep. Her eyes still foggy, she peers around at her surroundings. She immediately knows that something is not right. For one, she is outside, lying on the ground, with nothing but wilderness surrounding her. 'Where... Where am I?' she wonders to herself as she lifts her shaggy head off the ground. 'This must be some sort of prank. How typical of my... my...' She realized with a start that she could not recall any friend or family member who would pull a trick like this. Nor for that matter could she remember who her friends or family were, nor did she recall exactly where it was she came from or even her name. All she did know was that where she was now was not familiar to her. Fear seizes her heart and mind as she stands on her feet and darts her head about, ears twitching at each and every noise.

She was lost. Utterly and completely lost.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere at the same time, a hobbit is swept off his feet and onto a pony, having formally agreed to sign himself away for a life-altering adventure.<p>

* * *

><p>She has wandered for days now, searching for any sign of life. She was beginning to become desperate. Though she hadn't need worry about finding food as she was an adept hunter even in times of stress, her need to know where and <em>why <em>she was where she was grew by the hour. Every day she put her nose to the ground searching for any sign of a path, a trail, old footprints, anything to lead her to civilization. Worry gnawed at her insides, while the fear of never being found seeped into her mind.

Suddenly, she hear something. Voices in the distance. It was far but she could track it, she _had_ to track it. She broke out into a run, pausing every few yards to perk her ears up and find the sounds again as they got marginally louder each time.

Finally she was close enough to slow down, and had the good sense to become stealthy. It never does well to startle someone in unfamiliar territory. Luckily she was surrounded by trees and ledges, perfect for hidden observation. As she crept closer to the moving group responsible for the racket, she came upon a peculiar sight, one she was certain even with her hazy grasp on memories that she had never seen before. There were fifteen characters in total; fourteen short and one very tall, all astride little horses. They were arguing amongst themselves over something she couldn't quite catch and were making quite a commotion.

Dread suddenly gripped her. She got the feeling there weren't many like her around, and they might react with hostility should she suddenly appear in front of them. This called for quiet study of their dynamics to devise away to not attack her on sight. No matter. She had finally found other living beings besides herself, and that eased much of her worry.

* * *

><p>Unbeknownst to her, there was one member of the company that had noticed her presence. Gandalf the Grey had sensed her the moment she got within a few yards of them, having only been half paying attention to the silly argument happening around him. He knew not what it was that followed them, only that he sensed no danger radiating from it. His was a mission of great importance though, and while he would not warn the rest of the company yet he would certainly keep a watchful eye over it.<p>

* * *

><p>Scouting these strangers yielded a wealth of information to her. She learned that they were a very argumentative bunch with conflicting opinions on nearly everything, yet no one held a grudge. She learned that the apparent leader of this assembly was named Thorin, and he was the most solemn of them all. Never once had she seem him crack a smile, even with all the good jokes happening behind him. She had also learned that there was an oddball among the group (aside from the tall man clad in gray) named Bilbo, who they all give a hard time in their own ways. Bilbo seemed willing to take all this teasing in stride, though he never stopped looking uncomfortable with his surroundings.<p>

Because she had gone so long without any sort of contact with any creature of any sort she became fascinated with these strangers. She longed to interact with them in some way, but her foresight kept her back. Nonetheless, within a few days she believed she had the knowledge she needed. They all had an appreciation of food and eating (something she could respect). However finding good cuisine on the road can be difficult, especially when you have a long way to travel as they appeared to. So, the best plan of action was likely approaching them with an offering of food. She considered her options and quickly decided that a few rabbits would be the easiest to catch and carry, as well as drop in an instant should her plan fail. Yes, it was foolproof! All the angles were covered. She smiled to herself, proud of her own cleverness. All she had to do now was put her plan into motion and the pieces would fall together.

Or so she thought. Unfortunately for her fate had other ideas.

A/N: So there's the start! If anyone has feedback I'd greatly appreciate it because I almost never write due to time constraints.


	2. Chapter 2

The following day while the stranger in a new land was catching rabbits for her peace offering, the company trudged onwards. So far, nothing had happened to spoil their trek, and the day passed without incident. By nightfall they stopped to set up camp in a clearing. Gandalf, always the great mystery, insisted that he must go ahead alone, mumbling something about gathering information. He insisted that he would be back shortly, at least before they had to leave in the morning, and with that he was gone. Aside from that, it was setting up to be a fairly uneventful day in the course of their journey, not entirely a bad thing really.

Suddenly, cloaked figures armed with daggers and swords started jumping down from trees and from behind rocks, immediately attacking the band of travelers. The number of the villains was nearly overwhelming, and more continued to seemingly materialize out of nowhere, but the dwarves were capable, well trained survivors and held their ground. When it looked like the ambush would be for naught, a sudden cry rang out into the air and the dwarves saw that several bandits had seized Ori and Bilbo, the least experienced members of the company. Glaring fiercely at the crooks holding blades to their companion's throats, they reluctantly put their weapons down and raised their arms in surrender. Cruel hands swiftly gathered up the swords and axes before once again slipping back into the shadows. The company was, at the moment, helpless.

* * *

><p>The visitor in the new land regathered the conies she had hunted all day in her jaws. It had taken her longer than she anticipated to capture what she felt to be enough, but game had been surprisingly sparse that day. It did not matter too much to her, as she could easily track the troop's scent. By nightfall she had found the freshest part of the trail, eventually spying the glow of a fire. She slowed her pace, steeling herself for what she was about to do. As she got closer, however, she sensed something was amiss. There smell of battle and tension was fresh in the air. She paused before adjusting her course, finding a ledge high enough to hide on but close enough to hear from. Creeping up to the edge on her stomach, she peered over, and the sight froze her. The company she had been following for several days was captured, two with steel at their necks.<p>

She carefully considered her options, trying to stop the panic from clouding her judgement. If she was to act, she had to choose just precise moment to do so. She huffed to herself. She _really _wish she could have stuck with the other plan; it had less opportunities for failure. The hidden scout crouched lower to wait for her perfect opportunity.

* * *

><p>Once there was silence and tense cooperation from the captives, one figure clad in a brown cloak like the rest of his companions stepped forward. He stopped in front of the company's fire, his prisoners secured behind him and the rest of the company before him. He addressed them in a voice mockingly welcoming, eyes still hidden by his hood,<p>

"Greetings weary dwarven travelers! It is quite fortunate that you have stumbled onto our territory! Fortunate, that is, for us, not so much for you." When he spoke his rotting teeth were put in plain view, surrounded by a sallow, unkempt face marred with scars and pocks enhanced by the glow of the flames. It was obvious he had led a difficult life littered with depraved behavior. There was little to no honor in him. "Yes indeed, luck appears to be on our side tonight, eh boys? A band of dwarves is always good news to folk like us! Their kind always carries riches with them no matter where they go, greedy little bastards." The insult drew sinister snickering from his accomplices. The incensed dwarves shifted on their feet, barely restraining themselves after the jab at their livelihoods. The captain inspected the company, "Well? Would the leader of this merry band like to step forward and introduce himself?" After a pause, Thorin stepped forward to speak,

"I am Thorin Oakenshield. My company and I are travelers simply heading home after a long journey. We are not carrying much with us, only what we need on our journey. Take it, and leave us be." Thorin hoped this would be enough to deter any more scrutiny from the men, but luck was not on his side that night. The bandit leader tipped his head back, looking down his nose at the dwarf king with a sneer, allowing some light to glint in his cruel eyes.

"Do you expect me to believe that a dwarf band would travel lightly, especially so heavily armed?" The man stepped forward until he was only a foot away from Thorin, then bent on one knee to look him in the eye. "I think not, Thorin Oakenshield. Search them!" he commanded. The bandits began patting the dwarves down, lifting everything that might have even had the slightest value, tossing it all on the ground in piles. The man's expression changed to one of cruel contemplation. "You and your kin have a noble bearing to you. It also is quite uncommon for dwarves to associate with members outside their race, and even more rare for little halflings to venture outside of their own homes. None of this adds up to 'simply heading home'. What are you hiding?" The man was smarter than Thorin had hoped. He only crinkled his nose and jutted his jaw out, proud even in defeat. The man's expression darkened. "Fine then. Have it your way. Why don't I ask your little friends if they know where more treasure is hiding instead?"

The bandit stood and twisted to Bilbo and Ori, who had been watching the events unfold, helpless with the sharpened steel holding them still. He looked between them for a few moments, choosing his victim. He settled on Ori, a wicked grin growing on his face as he stalked closer to the intended target. Ori himself was no stranger to danger, but it did not mean he was unafraid of it. The young dwarf attempted to steel his expression to a neutral one, but it was a cracked facade. The bandit kneeled in front of him, pulling out a small rusty blade and waving it in his face. "How about you little one? Would you like to tell me where you're hiding all your riches?" Ori gulped, eyes following the bit of metal anxiously, stealing a glance at his brothers who were struggling to keep their composure.

Bilbo had not known these dwarves for more than a few weeks now but he was overcome with an urge to shield the youngest member of the group. Heart thudding he suddenly risked speaking up to delay the danger to the scribe, "What makes you think he would have an extra stash of treasure? Look at him, he's young and foolish; he probably spent it all in the last town we visited." Bilbo flinched a bit at the harsh words that came out of his own mouth; he hated bad talking the young dwarf but it worked... maybe a little too well. The man quickly turned his attention to the hobbit, corners of his mouth pulled downward. To the surprise of the rest of the company he grabbed Bilbo by the collar and wrenched him from the arms of his previous captors and off the ground, a new knife poking the vulnerable skin under his chin. Hoisted high in the air with the fully standing man, Bilbo stared straight into the bandit's cold gray eyes and hardly breathed, terrified.

"And I suppose _you _know better than that, _halfling?!_" he bellowed, the point end of his weapon drawing a bead of blood from bilbo's neck. He was done playing coy. "Now tell me where your

Suddenly a loud, vicious snarl cut through the air, ringing loudly in each ear present. They all wildly swung their heads around, before a second snarl had them turning their heads upward. On top of the tall ledge above Ori and his captors stood a ferocious beast, its lips curling up to reveal sharpened teeth to the surprised collection of men, dwarves and hobbit. It was shaped most like a wolf, but it was larger, its neck was longer, and its muzzle and legs were thinner than the average wolf. Its fur was creamy white with orange-gold markings on its face, legs, and tail. All of that mattered little, except that it added up to a hunched over monster, growling low and fixing its shining yellow eyes on the bandit leader holding Bilbo.

With one final rumble it leapt at the startled captain. When he was knocked to the ground the captain dropped Bilbo who landed with a thud in the dirt alongside his knife. The beast bit into the man's face, arms, and whatever else it could grab in its jaws. His men were frozen with confusion and panic. The dwarves, though equally shocked, recovered and used the distraction to reclaim their stolen weapons, attacking the surrounding outlaws. They would deal with the beast after they got their recompense for their wounded pride.

The crook that held Ori had loosened his grip in his shock, and the young dwarf took the opportunity to slip out of his grasp and headbutt his captor in the stomach. He fell with a grunt, and Ori happily joined in the fray.

Bilbo was still transfixed by the messy sight before him. The great beast had the villain by his left arm and was digging its teeth deep into his flesh. The bandit chief continued to scream and try in vain to pry it off him, to no avail. Only when the cloaked figure jerked his arm to the side in attempt to throw the beast to little effect did the hobbit seem to come to his senses. Seeing as how he was the only one in the company with utterly no experience with the art of combat, he snatched the dagger that had been at his throat moments before and scrambled away from the center of the fight to the edge. He desperately wondered what he could do to assist the dwarves before settling with making a few reckless stabs at enemies before dodging away and hoping they wouldn't chase.

Where Bilbo left the leader remained, still struggling against the great beast. It didn't appear to be keen on releasing his arm any time soon, so he resorted to other methods. He carried more than one blade on his person, and he swung his arm down to his pocket, pulling out a small knife and swinging it at the face of his attacker. But it was too quick for him and he sliced through air instead of flesh, missing it by centimeters. The monster snarled at him before grabbing the hand that held the knife in its mouth and biting down hard. The pain tore a yell from his mouth and he blindly struck out with his opposite arm to hit the creature. It growled again and grabbed the front of the bandit leader's tunic, launched its front half into the air and slammed him back down to the earth, stunning him.

Despite his dazed state the leader was determined to fight. He shoved himself off the ground and lunged at the creature. It dodged and he fell back to the ground, but recovered enough to push himself to his knees and swing. It ducked and weaved his clumsy blows for a few moments before crouching again, pausing, then launching itself at him. It latched its jaws onto his throat and held tight. As a last act of desperation he clawed at its face but it was for naught. Within seconds he stilled. It dropped him at the last sign of life and stared down at his body for a few moments. The whole fight took at most a minute. It gazed at the bandit a bit more before turning around to scope out new targets. It locked onto another bandit and jumped.

With their leader incapacitated the rest of the bandits fell into disorder and the dwarves were quickly gaining the upper hand. It would have gone on longer, if Gandalf hadn't chosen that moment to conveniently return with a bang, casting a spell to repel all the remaining bandits. The cloaked cowards fled, defeated. In all the battle was won in a minute or two, and the victorious company escaped with minor cuts and bruises, many of which were already being attended to by the insistent healer Óin. Bilbo tried to rejoin the group with little fanfare, but when he was spotted he was scooped up into the jovial celebrating. So caught up with congratulating themselves almost all forgot the reason they gained the upper hand in the conflict: the beast. All but one that is; after making sure that his comrades were unhurt Thorin Oakenshield turned to the anomaly in the area, a serious look in his eyes.

Said anomaly was currently sitting quietly many yards away from them, pensively observing the dwarves among the chaotic field.

* * *

><p>After the battle was over and the members of the company turned their attention toward her one by one, the wolf creature thought back to when it started to regain her bearings and calm herself. She had to act when she did because otherwise the little one would have been hurt, and she had grown a strange affection for each one since she had been following them, like she was meant to find them. She knew it was... a little ghoulish to start caring for those who she technically stalked but she couldn't help it. Which was why she could not allow that ghastly man to harm the little one. She attacked with surety.<p>

She had attempted to show the man mercy despite his offenses, but he made it difficult. She was hoping to exhibit restraint as a show of good will, but the bandit's persistence left her with no choice. She finished him off and moved on to other targets, doing what she could to avoid any more deaths. She saw the little one's fear, and regretted frightening him, but thought that it was better he was afraid and alive than dead and felt nothing.

Her trip down memory lane completed, she now faced the apprehensive figures steeled for another battle, but this time against her.

She really, really wished she had those rabbits with her now.


	3. Chapter 3

Thorin Oakenshield eyed the beast warily. So far it had made no move to attack; it just sat next to their forgotten fire, staring at them with wide yellow eyes. He knew that it had essentially rescued their burglar, but wolves weren't considered trustworthy creatures and he wasn't about to take a chance.

"That beast is unnatural!" Dori hissed to his comrades, not looking away from the wolf.

"Aye. Can't take any chances with things like this." Dwalin agreed. He nodded to the young noble to his left, "Kili, shoot it between the eyes." Kili lifted his bow only a few inches before Bilbo stepped up and stopped him, putting his hand in front of the dwarf.

"Now wait a moment, just wait!" he stood partially between Kili and his target, not quite brave enough to turn his back to the wolf despite his intrusion. "This creature quite possibly saved my life, doesn't that count for something? And for that matter did it ever move to attack any of you? Come to think of it, I only ever saw it target those awful rogues. His words initiated a round of murmurs and whispers amongst the dwarves, asking each other if the creature ever come after them. Thorin was the only one not still not swayed.

"It doesn't matter. Dwalin's right; we cannot risk this beast acting as a spy. It must be put down," Thorin declared. Gandalf, who had been watching the exchange in contemplative silence, huffed in exasperation then stepped forward, addressing the king.

"Really now, is this how the 'King Under the Mountain' shows his gratitude?" He continued walking in the direction of the wolf.

"What do you think you're doing?" Dori called. "Gandalf!"

"I am going to thank this creature for its assistance, since you all have clearly forgotten how to be courteous," he called behind him. "Do keep an ear open for trouble; wouldn't want to get caught in another ambush, would we?" In truth, the grey wizard was not entirely trustful of the beast either, but he had a hunch, and he did enjoy irritating Thorin. He schooled his expression into one of friendliness and covered the remaining area between him and the mysterious wolf before him.

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><p>The wolf listened to the conversation happening in front of her intently, hoping they would decide to trust her. She realized that things were not ending up in her favor, and nearly bolted the instant she heard one tell the other to shoot her. But she forced herself to remain still; she needed their help. Her restraint was rewarded, and to her relief the little one she assisted earlier came to her defense. However, despite the little one's endorsement, the leader wasn't convinced. Before she decided to make her escape, the tall one declared his intentions. <em>'Finally,'<em> she mentally sighed.

Keeping her head down for a non-threatening posture, she watched as the tall one approached, then halted a safe distance from her. He smiled.

"Greetings, white one. I am Gandalf the grey. I have come to give my deepest thanks for your assistance in defending my friends from those wicked men. I am most grateful." He bowed slightly and she did the same in acknowledgment, nervous all the same. She realized much too late how ludicrous her plan had been; how could she ever tell them exactly what she needed without scaring them enough to disregard questions and simply attack? What a fool she'd been.

After mentally cursing her shortsightedness she looked back up at Gandalf, noticing with a start that she distracted herself. Her full attention back on the tall one, who had been studying her while she was distracted, she attempted to convey sentience and an urgent need for assistance through her eyes and limited expression. A low whine escaped her jaws. Gandalf appeared perplexed at first, then intrigued. His brow furrowed in thought.

"I sense that you are trying to communicate something very important to me, but alas I am not as adept at communicating with animals as well as elves can." He shuffled closer and kneeled, putting out a hand. The action stirred the group behind him slightly, but they made no further moves. "However, if you will permit me, I may be able to try something to weaken our communication barrier." He gazed at her, waiting for a signal.

The white wolf looked at his outstretched hand, then back at his eyes. So far, this one had not made any threats toward her and she was running out of options. She had to trust him. She inched forward and carefully put her head underneath his hand, stopping short of touching it. Gandalf smiled reassuringly, then placed his palm on the spot between her ears. He saw the barest flashes of memory, but they were sparse and only showed her life in the past few weeks. They were somewhat useful, but what he was after her were intentions, thoughts, emotions; using his abilities he could read them easily. Only a minute passed when the grey wizard lifted his hand, satisfied.

"I had a feeling you were of no threat to us when I first observed you following us days ago," he chuckled, eyes twinkling.

'Oh, you noticed that did you..." the wolf thought, looking sheepish with ears flattened against her head. Gandalf stood and turned to face his friends and announce his findings:

"She is of no danger to us. She is capable of rational thought, and is in fact in need of our assistance. Considering the aid she lent you all earlier – especially you, Bilbo Baggins – I would say you are in her debt," he declared. The grey pilgrim turned to look down at her and said, "Come along my dear, its time you were properly introduced," before marching back to the stunned dwarves. They only were bewildered into silence for seconds before erupting into shouts.

"You've got to be joking!"

"There's no way I'll let a wolf spy near me!"

"Have you gone _mad,_ Gandalf?!"

And so on. The wizard, having anticipated this opposition, waved his hand in disregard. The wolf, at first too shocked to move, tentatively followed. She strategically placed herself behind Gandalf, peering around his gray robes at all of the angry faces while Gandalf attempted to quiet them. When he managed to quell the noise enough to get a few words in, he argued, "Quiet down now; this is no way to treat an ally. Quiet!" They grudgingly did as he said. When they were still, he turned once again to the wolf, "Now, my dear, let me introduce you to the company." He began listing off names, pointing to each as he did. "There's Bilbo Baggins, who you greatly assisted earlier to my understanding, thank you for that," Bilbo smiled nervously behind the others and gave a quick bow, "Fili and Kili, Óin and Glóin, Bifur, Bofur..." and so on, until he came to the last dwarf. "...And finally, the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield, soon to be 'King Under the Mountain'." Thorin only glowered intensely at her. She nearly flinched under his gaze, but her pride overrode her fear. Gandalf continued, tone underscoring his message: "We are on a mission of grave importance. I believe that you would be of great assistance to us, and we may be able to do the same for you. Will you accompany us on our quest?"

At that Thorin stepped forward, having had enough of Gandalf's absurdities. He firmly grabbed the wizard's forearm and curtly said, "Gandalf, a word," before pulling him away. Gandalf only managed a quick 'excuse me' to the wolf before being dragged away. The others parted to let them through, then filled in again to create a veritable wall between her and so far the only one who believed in her motivations. They glared down at her. She sat down again, beginning to feel very tired of this constant back and forth.

Once out of earshot Thorin got right to the point, speaking in rough whispers: "What are you thinking? This mission is at enough risk as it is without a potential spy in our ranks." Gandalf was undeterred.

"I have read her aura through and through. There is no wickedness in her heart."

"I can't take that risk Gandalf. I already agreed to take on that halfling as a liability; I refuse to gamble any more."

"But think of what you can gain with her on your side! She is strong, cunning, and her senses are just as adept as any creature's. She can help us." Thorin turned his back on Gandalf, his mind made up. "Thorin!" Gandalf called, "I did sense a darkness about her," Thorin looked over his shoulder at this, "but it was not in her heart." Thorin did not move, but did not interrupt. "I feel... I feel that something will happen. Something disastrous." The dwarf king looked back fully at the grey wizard as he spoke, something in his expression changing. "I cannot explain it fully, but while I was reading her there was an ominous warning in my mind. There will be dire consequences if we do not allow her to join us," Gandalf explained gravely. Thorin looked down, considering his words very carefully. After a minute, he finally looked at the wizard in the eyes.

"Fine." Gandalf sighed in relief. "But mark my word, if it ever shows any sign of betrayal I will not hesitate to take it down." With that, he stalked past the smiling wizard. As he walked away, Gandalf called after him,

"I should hope that your doubting my council does not become a habit in the future, Thorin Oakenshield."

"And I should hope that testing my patience does not become yours," the dwarf retorted.

When he rejoined the rest of his companions they gave their full attention, eagerly awaiting their leader's instructions. He hesitated, as if doubting his own decision. "The wolf... can join us." Several noises of disbelief were heard, and the wolf perked her ears up, a spark of surprised happiness filling her; Thorin ignored them. He stepped through the wall of dwarves to look the creature in the eyes, but did not say anything. She shifted uneasily. He broke the eye contact and trudged away. "Get some rest, all of you. I will take first watch." At the command, the dwarves slowly separated, each with their own expression of doubt, confusion, and mistrust on their faces. She watched them go, still sitting in place, unsure of what to do next. Gandalf soon approached her, smiling.

"Come my dear, why don't I show you where you can rest tonight." He leaned down, lowering their voice to a whisper as she stood to follow him, "Don't take Thorin's attitude to heart; it will take time to gain his trust." She looked down at the ground, thinking. Suddenly, she jerked her head up, realizing something she forgot. She looked up to Gandalf, making a kind of 'wait here' gesture with her paws. She quickly turned around, Gandalf watching her go confusedly, and hurried past the fire to the ledge she first jumped off, and hurriedly climbed.

The company, all acutely aware of her presence, paused in their actions to watch her warily. When she reached the top they could not see what she was doing, they could only make out her crouching form. When she turned back to climb back down, they could see she had something in her mouth. It was only when she was next to the fire could they see that she brought down three plump rabbits, which she laid proudly on the ground before her. She beamed, hoping this would help ease the tension in the air. The dwarves could only gape, baffled.

A/N: Welp there it is. Let me know if there's any mistakes or if anything sounds dumb at all.


	4. Chapter 4

While they were still leery about the wolf's presence in their company, the dwarves weren't the kind to turn down free food. They postponed sleep to make rabbit stew and a little quasi-rabbit jerky for the road. While cooking they discreetly eyed her, as if afraid they would be poisoned somehow. After they each got their shares (except Thorin, who bluntly declined and remained on watch) and had a few hesitant tastes with no one keeling over, they eagerly devoured their meals with gusto. The wolf ate the slowest, preoccupied in trying to discern everyone's reactions. Gandalf sat by near her and smoked his pipe. Sensing her tension, pat her back in comfort.

"I believe your gifts were a wise choice; the easiest way to a dwarf's good graces is through his stomach," he chuckled. She relaxed, and yawned. The day was tough but productive, and she needed rest. She laid her head down on her paws, sleep finding her easily. Her first day of traveling as a real member of the company instead of just someone watching from afar began tomorrow.

* * *

><p>Bilbo did not know what to make of the wolf in all honesty. Thorin made his stance clear from the start and did not appear to intend on backing down from it anytime soon. Gandalf was of the completely opposite opinion, believing her to be a force of good and sticking by that idea. The other's opinions, including his, all fell somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. She<em> had<em> risked her life to save his, and did bring them a peace offering, but he did not know. There was something in his mind keeping him from implicitly trusting a wolf. Many of the stories told to him as a lad featured their kind as chief antagonists, and for good reason. Wolves were known to align themselves with the enemies of the free peoples of Middle Earth. He puffed his pipe in thought, belly full of rabbit stew. 'Well,' he thought, having come to a decision, 'I am nothing if not a gentlehobbit; she did me a great service by saving my life and that is worthy of a chance.' Bilbo nodded to himself, put out his pipe, and readied himself for bed. The hobbit was followed shortly by the rest of the company, each falling asleep one by one until only the dwarf king was left on guard under the stars, vigilantly watching for attack from any enemy, outside and inside the camp.

* * *

><p>The next day began for the company as they had been the past several weeks: wake at dawn, prepare and eat a quick breakfast, pack up and head out on their ponies. Curiously, they had not fled during the previous night's attack nor did they appear to mind the newest addition to their group, who ambled along, sticking closest to Gandalf.<p>

The wolf kept up with them easily, only pausing to sniff at the ground or some plant on occasion and listening when the wizard commented to her about something. The rest of the dwarves were relatively quiet at first, making a casual remark occasionally, asking a question when they felt it necessary, or just speaking in hushed whispers to each other, sneaking suspicious glances at the wolf while doing so. She took it all in stride, expecting this kind of behavior.

This behavior kept up for a few days, but the dwarves quickly became tired of the secrecy and grew used to the wolf's presence amongst them. The leery looks eventually stopped and all but a few slowly warmed up to her. For example: Gloin sometimes sat within six feet of her, Bombur actually brought bowls of food to her instead of leaving them on the ground or relying on Gandalf to deliver them, and Balin even acknowledged her while having conversations with Gandalf.

Finally, after five days of acclimation, they realized that they did not know her name or even know if she had one. Bofur asked Gandalf if he could inquire what she called herself to remedy this situation, and she replied as best she could that she did not remember. After Gandalf relayed this information, several of the dwarves exchanged looks with each other. Kili and Fili spoke up.

"No name then? Well that won't do!"

"Yes, I suppose we'll have to give you one won't we?"

Thus began the quest to find a name suitable for a wolf. Thorin rolled his eyes from his position in the front of the line. Balin grinned from his position beside him.

"What about something simple, like 'Fluffy'?" Kili asked, looking back at her with an impish twinkle in his eye that mirrored his brother's.

"Maybe something literal, like 'Doggie'?" Fili added next.

"Or perhaps something more accurate, like 'Smelly'?" Kili supplied helpfully.

She firmly shook her head at each idea, glaring at the brothers as their suggestions got even more and more ridiculous. Soon the other dwarves joined in with their own proposed names, offering Khuzdul suggestions which she highly suspected were just more insults judging by how they laughed.

The nameless wolf groaned. If this was what it was like to be accepted into the group maybe she preferred being feared.

"What about 'Isil'?" Gandalf offered lightly, taking pity on the hapless wolf. "It means 'moon'." She considered it, liking how the word rolled off the tongue in her mind. She puffed her chest out and stood a little taller, repeating it in her head. 'Isil,' she thought, 'I really like the sound of that. Very fitting.' She grinned and nodded to the wizard, approving the name. Gandalf chuckled at her display.

"I still like my idea better," Kili sniffed while the others mumbled amongst themselves. The freshly dubbed Isil ignored them all and pondered over her new name. Strangely, she had never even noticed that she had no name until now. 'Oh well. Doesn't matter now I suppose.' The wolf's pace picked up, new energy pulsing through her veins. In spite of her strange predicament, Isil's spirits were high and she felt she was ready to take on anything.

A/N: Short chapter I know, but things have gotten a little rough on my end. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter written soon but who knows now. I had a little trouble with her name, but I don't want to fuss with it anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

In the fourth week since they left the Shire with a new burglar, the company of Thorin Oakenshield listen to Balin tell the tale of how their king earned his name as they lay resting. All of them, especially Isil and Bilbo, as they are outsiders to the dwarves world, are enthralled by the tragically triumphant tale. They stand around Thorin in awe. A surge of loyalty and devotion awoke within their hearts, visibly strengthening their resolve.

Little did they know that they were being watched by a foul creature on another cliff out of their sight. It barks out an order to inform its master, then turns its glare back to the company, growling low in its throat.

* * *

><p>The next day, the group finds itself caught in a heavy rainfall. They trudge on. Isil was so caught up in her own irritation she almost didn't hear when Bilbo asked about any other wizards after Dori first implored Gandalf to try to give them more pleasant weather. She tried to listen carefully, genuinely interested. She only caught the name 'Radagast' and heard how he preferred the company of animals to people before a rather large droplet of water dropped from a tree and landed square on her face. She growled in agitation, too distracted to hear much else of what Gandalf had to say.<p>

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, a wizard saves his beloved hedgehog friend from certain death, and discovers the beginnings of an evil plot to return from the dead.<p>

* * *

><p>The next few days were relatively uneventful. They traveled, traded stories, ate, and generally bonded as a team. By now the dwarves were as accustomed to Isil's presence as they were to Bilbo's, and they treated her in kind. The drawback was that they teased and taunted her mercilessly (she returned the favor at every opportunity), but also meant they began opening up to her. Gloin told her about his beloved wife and son, and how he joined the expedition to give them a safe and prosperous home. Oin and Bombur often asked for the use of her nose to locate herbs for medicine and flavor, and taught her the proper applications of each. Even Bilbo, timid as he was, confided in her about the things he missed from home.<p>

Gandalf often passed the time each night by telling her the histories of Middle Earth Isil absorbed all their words and thoughts like a sponge, wishing she could speak to them in turn. She would prove her worth for now by listening and helping where she was needed.

Eventually they reached an abandoned farmhouse on a grassy cliff at the base of a mountain. Looking out at the low-hanging sun on the horizon, Thorin ordered his company to halt.

"We'll camp here for the night. Fili, Kili, look after the ponies. Make sure you stay with them." As Thorin delegated instructions, Gandalf inspected the dilapidated structure with a troubled expression.

"A farmer and his family used to live here..." he said absently.

Isil stood next to the wizard, the same concerned look on her face. The house looked like it had been crushed by something massive and a foul scent permeated the earth and air. She didn't like this place. Gandalf crinkled his nose and turned from the broken home. Isil smelled the air one last time before following.

"I think it would be wiser to move on," he advised. "We could make for the Hidden Valley." The dwarf king curled his lip in disgust.

"I have told you already, I will not go near that place," he spat.

"Why not? The elves could help us. We could get food, rest, advice." Gandalf countered. Isil's eyes darted between the two, confused. What was wrong with the Hidden Valley? She looked around to the others as the two continued their back and forth. The dwarves all had different variations of distaste written in their faces, some more severe than others. Bilbo, adding to her confusion, looked almost hopeful.

The wolf listened as Thorin listed his grievances against the elves, metaphorically putting his foot down. Gandalf attempted one last time to sway him, clearly loosing patience.

"You are neither of them," he started, knowing the stubbornness of the dwarf king's line. "I did not give you that map and key for you to hold on to the past."

"I did not know that they were yours to keep," Thorin retorted, scowling up at the wizard. Gandalf sputtered, recoiling in frustration. He angrily stomped past the dwarf and away from the rest of the company. Bilbo called out to him,

"Everything alright? Gandalf, where are you going?"

"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense," the wizard replied.

"Who's that?"

"Myself, Mr. Baggins! I've had enough of dwarves for one day." He waved his hand in the air as he stalked off, not looking back. "Come along, Isil!," he barked. The wolf hesitated, quickly looking at the faces staring back at her from the corners of her eyes before hurrying off to follow the wizard. The rest of the company watched them both go, Bilbo worriedly asking if Gandalf would come back.

When she caught up to him, Isil looked up at the wizard in concern. He did not acknowledge her, just mumbled to herself about the foolishness of kings. She looked behind her at the quickly disappearing view of the others, who already resumed setting up camp. The wolf felt unease grow in her mind; this could end very badly for them.

* * *

><p>Gandalf slowed down hours several later with most of his anger cooled to a low burn. Isil hoped to never get on his bad side; he could hold a grudge. He had been muttering angrily to himself the entire way, only acknowledging her to punctuate one of his own arguments. While he was walking she kept glancing back in the direction of the camp, feeling that something was going to happen if they weren't there. She wanted to return to watch over them in that foreboding place. Gandalf finally sat down on a rock, tapping his staff on the ground to prompt a warm glow to emanate from the stone at its tip. By this time the moon had risen and the stars twinkled over them. He was still mumbling to himself as he pulled out his pipe and leaves, deciding to calm down with a smoke. Isil sat down in front of him, trying to come up with a way to convince him to turn back. When is pipe was lit and burning softly, he finally addressed the wolf directly, waving his pipe in her direction,<p>

"The nerve of that blasted dwarf! Too stubborn to give up those old ridiculous grudges and see reason. Lord Elrond is probably the only one who can give him accurate directions not only _how_ to get _exactly_ where he wants to be, but _when_ to be there and _where_ to go!" Gandalf puffed furiously, smoke briefly obscuring his face. "The fool will drive his own endeavor into the ground for the sake of his own damnable pride." He took a few more long draws from his pipe, eyes set ahead in thought. Isil leaned forward, putting her paw on his knee and drawing a low whine from her throat, bright yellow eyes pleading at him to consider turning back.

"I will not go back! See how well they fare without a wizard to save them from their own foolish choices." He stared right back at her, unmoved by her actions. She shook her head, then looked back and whined again, face imploring. 'They may be fools,' she agreed in her mind, 'stubborn, frustrating, and often childish to an unbelievable level. But they're also noble and determined and brave and they need guidance.'

Gandalf scrutinized her expressions closely. Isil hoped that her thoughts were conveyed adequately on her face. After a full minute of study he sighed.

"I suppose that Thorin is still young... and desperate to reclaim his homeland with his family honor intact." Isil inclined her head, a grin forming on her muzzle. "And I suppose the others are only trying to prove their loyalties to him by standing by his half-witted choices. Hmm. Fine. I'll get them to Lord Elrond one way or the other." The wizard reluctantly stood with Isil cheerfully following. "Now then," he brushed himself off, "knowing them those miserable dwarves have without a doubt already gotten themselves into trouble." With that, they were hiking back to the company of Thorin, who had most certainly gotten themselves into a heap of trouble. Lucky for them a cunning hobbit knew how to stall for time.

* * *

><p>"Oh for goodness sakes," Gandalf huffed from his and Isil's hiding place behind a thicket. Of course they had to have encountered a horde of trolls so far from where they were usually found. Of course. "Mountain trolls. Here! Of all places." Isil stared at the gigantic monstrosities holding her companions captive. A low growl rumbled from her chest, but she clamped down on it, not wanting to be discovered. She looked to Gandalf, wondering how they were going to get them all out of this mess.<p>

The wizard stayed low, waiting for his opportunity. Suddenly Bilbo spoke up, taking his own chances after overhearing one of them mention the sunrise.

"Wait! You are making a terrible mistake." Gandalf chuckled quietly at the hobbit's interruption.

"There's a good lad, Bilbo Baggins! Quick thinking." Gandalf looked down to her. "Come along, my dear. Here's what we'll do." He quickly went over his plan while they rushed into position. Bilbo had just exclaimed to the trolls that the dwarves were riddled with parasites when the two got to the place Gandalf deemed best. The first blush of daylight was just minutes away judging by how fast the sky was lightening, but the large boulder before them was blocking it. Gandalf assured Isil that he would take care of it but he needed more time. He instructed her to stall the monsters, and began preparing his spell. Isil could hear relations breaking down behind the rock, and rushed into the brush to provide assistance.

"You think I don't know what you're up to?" one of the giants bayed. "This little ferret is taking us for fools!"

"Ferret?!" the hobbit repeated indignantly. Before the giant brute could grab hold of Bilbo, Isil let out a thundering snarl from behind a nearby thicket that seemed to come from all directions, startling them all. Bilbo caught a flash of a familiar golden face in the brush, and felt relief wash over him. They could get out of this, they just needed more time. The trolls and dwarves' heads swiveled wildly around, looking for the source of the awful sound.

"What in blazes was _that?!_" one of them fearfully exclaimed.

"What was what?" Bilbo asked, tilting his head in false confusion.

"Whaddya mean 'what was what'? Th-that horrible noise is what was what!" the other squeaky troll sputtered, still searching.

"I'm afraid I've no idea what you're talking about," Bilbo replied, shaking his head. The dwarves, to his utter relief, kept their mouths shut this time and didn't muck up his plan. Just a few more minutes and they could all be out of this.

"Are you telling me that you couldn't hear that awful sound just now?" the first troll asked incredulously while stomping up to the hobbit and pointing behind him. Bilbo only shrugged, shaking his head again. At that point a low, reverberating growl was heard all around them, slowly growing in intensity. It seemed to be moving, circling the troll's encampment. After cowering for a few seconds with his comrades third troll appeared to regain his courage, grabbing his ladle and holding it above his head like a weapon.

"I ain't afraid of no little beastie too scared to come out and fight! One more mouthful for the spit, I say!" He waved his utensil wildly, spinning around frantically to find the source of the fearsome growls. He saw a streak of white dart behind a bush. "Ah!" He pointed in the direction he saw it go. "You hear me? I'll take you down and cook you whole, you little rat!"

"The dawn will take you all!" Gandalf bellowed, standing on the boulder. Isil jumped from the brush to join him, letting out one more piercing snarl. As the baffled trolls wondered aloud who the blazes they were, the grey wizard struck the rock with his staff, cleaving it in two and allowing the golden light to shine through. The second the rays touched the behemoths they began to turn to stone, howling in agony as the glowing beams transformed them into statues. Bilbo sighed in relief, the tension in his posture visibly loosening. The dwarves cheered in triumph from their burlap sacks until Dwalin let his discomfort on the spit be known.

The sun was only a little higher in the sky by the time the company was freed from their fabric fetters. They collected their discarded weapons and supplies while Gandalf inspected each new statue, thumping one on the head in amusement. Isil walked near him, baring her teeth in victory at each troll. Gandalf patted her on the head when she came close, grateful for the short respite in danger.

"Where did you go to, if I may ask?" Thorin asked, stalking over to him.

"To look ahead," Gandalf replied.

"What brought you back?"

The wizard glanced down at Isil with a knowing look. She smirked at him. "Looking behind. Nasty business. Still, they are all in one piece."

"No thanks to your burglar." Gandalf looked almost offended at that.

"He had the nous to play for time. None of the rest of you thought of that." Thorin had the decency to look contrite. Gandalf went back to examining the remains of the trolls.

"They must have come down from the Ettenmoors," the wizard remarked.

"Since when do mountain trolls venture this far south?"

"Oh, not for an age," Gandalf's expression grew serious, "not since a darker power ruled these lands." At that, they both looked at each other meaningfully. "They could not have moved in daylight."

"There must be a cave nearby," Thorin deduced. After a cursory search of the hills they found the troll's rotting hoard of ill-gotten gains. The company retched and coughed as they entered the reeking cavern. They rifled through the loot amassed by the monsters for whatever reason and took what they found useful, even buried some gold 'for safekeeping', as they called it when given questioning looks. Feeling that there was no more that they could do there, Thorin ordered them out. Gandalf, having found a blade a suitable size for Bilbo, hands it to him as they leave. Once he finishes telling the hobbit that true courage is knowing when to spare a life, not take it, he goes to stand next to Isil, who elected not to enter the stinking, putrid cave.

Isil closed her eyes and shuddered in disgust, back turned from the mouth of the cavern. She refused to fry her sensitive nose in that fetid place. Besides, she loathed the idea of dirtying up her fur any more than she already had. She opened one eye when she felt the wizard join her.

"I apologize my dear, I couldn't find anything that might be of use to you in there." He groaned as he sat down. Isil was just fine with that; she had gone this far without any equipment without any problems, she might as well continue on in the same fashion.

Without warning her ears shot straight up. She heard a loud rustling and could feel a vibration through her paws.

"Something's coming!" Thorin warned. Gandalf sprang up and called them into action. Isil followed him as he directed them all to a more strategic area. She and the others all prepared themselves for battle, waiting for the threat to spring, whatever it may be. From the north, they could hear the peril barreling toward them with great force. The company could only steel themselves for whatever it was. Isil crouched low to the ground, a growl resonating from behind her teeth.

A/N: Slightly longer chapter than normal because most of the problems I've been encountering in my life have sort of cleared up, so that's good! Hopefully I'll have the next chapter out in the next few days; I start classes again soon.


	6. Chapter 6

Weapons were at the ready when to their surprise a pack of rabbits leapt over the ledge dragging a manned sled behind them. As the figure drew closer the incoherent shouting morphed into panicked cries of warning.

"Thieves! Fire! Murder!" the figure yelled. A look of recognition spread across Gandalf's face.

"Radagast! Radagast the Brown. Ah." He stepped closer to his friend. "What on earth are you doing here?" The company collectively relaxed as Radagast stumbled through his explanation. Isil's shoulders dropped and she stopped paying attention to the two, needing a moment to calm her heart. She took this time to examine her companions to make sure they were ok and noticed Bilbo appeared especially relieved that Radagast turned out to not be an enemy. She frowned. He would need to learn how to defend himself eventually; she gathered that much on this journey. He couldn't rely on his uncanny luck forever. Isil hoped one of the others would realize this too and teach him how to wield a sword. She caught a strange motion from the corner of her eye and turned just in time to watch Gandalf pull a bug off of Radagast's tongue. She flinched and made a soft noise of disgust.

The sound appeared to catch the strange wizard's attention and caused him to notice Isil for the first time. A surprised 'Oh!' was her only warning before he swooped in for an up close and personal, hands-on examination of the startled wolf. Radagast was relentless, poking and prodding her all while peppering the amused Gandalf with questions.

"Who's this now eh? What a lovely creature! Where did you find her?" He pried her eyelids open to study the yellow irises. "Ah yes, yes..." He moved away to pull back her lips and inspect her teeth, "Teeth sharp and healthy... good, good..." The bizarre wizard even wrenched her maw open and practically put his whole head in her mouth to look down her throat. "Wonderful! This creature is in fine shape, fine shape indeed," he declared. Isil was too dumbfounded to even move. Her eyes swiveled to Gandalf, silently pleading for help. The grey wizard only laughed quietly. She narrowed her gaze. 'Laugh now, you traitor. Hope you sleep well tonight; we'll see how funny things are when I steal that stupid hat right off your head!' She heard the others chuckle as well; they all seemed to find this whole situation very comical. She'd get them all back.

Gandalf finally took pity on Isil and cleared his throat, getting Radagast's attention as he hugged the wolf's back to his ear, checking for any irregularities of her innards. The brown wizard peered up at him.

"I believe you had something very important to tell me? Something you came all this way to say?" Radagast seemed to realize where he was. He put Isil down (to which she was grateful) and pulled Gandalf aside to warn him of Dol Guldur.

Isil stalked off to the fringes of the group to lick her wounded pride. All the dwarves milled about anxiously while the wizards conferred, anxiously waiting for the signal to leave. Bofur however could not resist antagonizing the wolf just a bit more.

"Aye, you all checked out, lassie?" he asked, approaching the ruffled canine seated with her back turned to him. She swiftly met his gaze, challenging him to continue. He unwisely did. "Sure you don't need another thorough once-over?" the jovial dwarf laughed. Isil growled; a warning. Bofur took no notice and began to mimic Radagast's actions, poking and prodding her face and neck while making comments about 'health' and 'being in good, fine shape'. Isil crouched in wait, then sprang! She snatched the silly cap right off the dwarf's head and landed neatly behind him. Bofur was dazed only for a second before giving chase.

The wolf deftly ducked and dodged him and even used the others as springboards when they tried to help their comrade, laughing and appreciating the recreation. After some minutes of play it became very obvious that Isil was uncatchable. She stood triumphantly atop a mossy rock, far above her pursuers with the hat still clenched between her jaws. She looked smugly down at the offender, as he finally bowed in defeat.

"Alright, alright! I yield!" Bofur breathlessly laughed, leaning on Bilbo for support. She tossed the bit of clothing down to him, chest puffed out in victory. "Oh, you got teeth marks in it!" he wailed. She only chuffed happily.

The moment of mirth was short lived, and a grisly howl pealed through the trees, cutting through the company's good humor.

"Was that a wolf? Are th-there other wolves out there?" Bilbo squeaked.

"Wolves? No, that is not a wolf," Bofur replied, voice on edge. Almost immediately two gigantic, monstrous wargs charged the company, aiming to tear them to bits. They were swiftly dealt with, but they knew there were more to come. Ori, Bifur, and Oin ran down the hill to report that their ponies had fled, leaving them vulnerable. Radagast's offer to draw them away was rebuffed immediately on the grounds that the wargs would outrun them, but he wouldn't back down.

"These are Rhosgobel Rabbits!" he insisted. "I'd like to see them try."

* * *

><p>Isil waited behind the rocks for the signal to flee along with the rest of the company, her heart pounding against her ribs. When Radagast and the wargs were far enough they moved, sprinting to each hiding place as fast as their legs could carry them. Isil kept falling behind to count each member of the troupe, paranoid that one of them had tripped and become a meal for one of those ghastly monsters. Radagast's rabbits were indeed fleet-footed, but no one could account for a rogue warg catching the faintest whiffs of dwarf. The company barely made it out of sight before the stray rider wandered toward them, sniffing out its prey. They had no choice but to try to eliminate it before the others caught on.<p>

Kili's aim was true but not fatal, and they knew the death knells of both orc and warg had alerted the rest of the riders of their position. They had no choice but to make a mad dash to safety with Gandalf at the lead. He appeared to know where to go, much to Thorin's suspicion, but without any other alternatives he followed.

Isil couldn't tell how much time had passed since they started their escape; seconds, minutes, hours, it was all a blur. They ran until their lungs burned but despite their best efforts, they were surrounded, with no choice but to make a stand. They huddled in closer around a large rock formation, warg riders closing in for the kill. Gandalf had mysteriously vanished, and they were left to fend for themselves. Kili picked off one or two riders, but it was pointless. There were too many.

"This way, you fools!" A pointed hat popped up from amid the stones. Isil and the others whipped their heads toward the shout, then one by one dove for the safety of the hollow. The wolf slid down the crag after Bombur, colliding into the pile of dwarves with a muffled 'oof!', scurrying out of the way as Fili, Kili, and Thorin joined them. Isil belatedly wondered what a cave was going to do to discourage the orcs from killing them. Surely they just sealed their fate by jumping blindly into a hole with no exits?

Before she could pursue that line of thought any longer, the blare of a horn resonated in the distance. Sounds of a battle were heard, and a corpse fell through the mouth of the cave. Upon examining the arrow that killed it, Thorin spat out the word, "Elves" and looked accusingly at Gandalf. Dwalin pointed out a path, asking if they should take it or not. Bofur did not hesitate in his decision, prompting the rest of them to line up single file and follow suit.

The trail led on and on, for miles and hours. Isil did not know how much longer she could take the restricted space. Thankfully the pathway finally opened before she panicked, and they all enjoyed the breathing room. Isil heard Bilbo comment to Gandalf about something changing in the air, saying that "...it feels like... magic!" but she was too focused on finding the end of the road to pay closer attention. They walked further for several more minutes in relative silence, all growing weary of the scenery and uncertainty of where they were headed, until Gandalf whispered down to Isil,

"Walk ahead my dear, you'll want to see this." Isil did what he asked, confused. Shortly after he said that the path at long last ended, revealing the magnificent sight of a lush green valley holding a stunningly beautiful city in the center. Isil gasped as they all filtered out of the crag, standing with her forelegs atop a rock to get a better view.

"The Valley of Imraldis," Gandalf provided. "In the Common Tongue, it's known by a another name."

"Rivendell," Bilbo sighed reverently.

"Here lies the last Homely House east of the sea," Gandalf said, smiling. Isil was in awe; she had never seen a more beautiful city. Of course, with no memory beyond a few months there was little to compare it to, but she was still sure it still ranked quite high. The rest of the company didn't appear to appreciate the grandeur of the view, Thorin being the most irate at the sight.

"This was your plan all along, to seek refuge with our enemy," the dwarf king hissed at Gandalf, radiating anger.

"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield. The only ill will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."

"You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us," he countered.

"Of course they will. But we have questions that need to be answered. If we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact and respect and no small degree of charm." Gandalf walked to a narrow path down the canyon into the valley. "Which is why you will leave the talking to me." Negotiations apparently over, they followed, having little choice but to do as the wizard wanted. Isil had no problem with that, trotting as quickly as she could at the company's heels. She was eager to see more, and could not help but notice the detail in architecture only grew in beauty the closer she got. The wolf felt her spirits rise and her heart lighten. This was certainly a pleasant turn of events compared the troll caves and close encounters with wargs and orcs. She hoped that the dwarves would realize that at some point, instead of holding onto grudges she didn't understand in the first place.

A/N: I'd like to thank all those who have stuck around to this point! Unfortunately this is almost certainly going to be the last chapter I'll be able to get out for quite a while, since my last semester starts today and ends in May and I have to devote 90% of my time to it. Hopefully I'll be have a little free time to do personal stuff afterwards, but I'll also be trying to get a job after I finish so I don't know. Hopefully I'll return to this sooner than I hope, but goodbye for now!


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